JLSleather

I got some at http://www.usacuttingdie.com/ Think they were a tad over $50, but you'd need to tell them what you want - they'll make it the size you ask for. BYTHEWAY For general holster work, I like a slot punch 1 1/2" - 1 9/16" long by 1/4" wide. Some of my punches I had made 7/32" wide, so it ends up being 1/4" AFTER burnishing the slot...

Just FYI.. you can get a slot punch made for about the same money as the punch set and chisel. And it punches slots cleaner and faster...

And... there you have it. Brown or chocolate dye, sprayed around the edges, over a piece of leather with wrinkles. Seriously, a child can do this. I really must do a video showing how to do this, since people seem so determined to watch videos. Should take about 30 seconds or so....

Other delivery options? I can send out one holster in 1st class mail, about $3. Add 45¢ (ish) for a sturdy box. So, shipping + tracking (included with 1st class) $3.45 Or I can send it priority mail, costs $6.20. No box to purchase, tracking included, PLUS insurance included, so still $6.20 So for $2.80, I have send a tracked, insured package. Worth it to my peace of mind to spend that amount. Still doesn't "guarantee" delivery, but in the even of a fail, I'm not out, and the customer is not out. Not sure what "service" you're paying 5x for. But when I shop, I don't mind paying that price. Just don't tell me "you may not get it, in which case that's too bad" -- which IS what that little blurb on the web page equates to. If you're billing me for priority mail, that INCLUDES insurance, so don't insult me by suggesting that I pay "insurance". There is no guarantee with shipping. Wait.. there is one --- if I pay money, and I don't get compensated (either my order or my money) the one or more who didn't supply what I asked for will be regretting saving $3 for a long time ... BUT again... rather than subject myself to that ignorance... easier (and better) to just duck those people and order elsewhere ...

Nope.. don't have to be a clip.. something like that might work. The pistol will be carried on the outside, not concealed in any way. Only issue is something that fits on that little pea-shooter, holds well, and looks good.

Two points here.. in the future, if you'd like to make "double layer" belts routinely, you can do that by stacking two layers of 6/7 oz. Makes a nice belt, and usually available from retailers. I agree that double 9 oz is too much (and so do many of my customers). You don't list a location. Anybody near you can cut you a piece of 4 oz?

I have them sign above $400, or if I remember right express mail requires a signature above $400. But that generally isn't necessary. Certainly there are people who steal packages after they are delivered. But that is where the line goes... I can't be accountable for security at your house. If your packages are tracked to your house, and then go missing from there, that would warrant a theft report, not a replacement from the supplier. I do believe there are also people who will claim they didn't receive it, though they did, (though I haven't had it happen). In that case I may replace the item - but only after collaborating with the post office (and if necessary, law enforcement). Some people do seem to have an inflated sense of entitlement... the insurance company won't even pay me for things missing from the theft without a police report, so not sure why some think they can say "I didn't get it' and auto-get another... But back to my point ... if someone pays for something, it's my responsibility to provide it, in the condition it was advertised. Those who can't offer the same simple integrity, will have to sell to someone other than me.

What is that in percentage? If that's more than 5%, that would be a problem for me. I mean a problem I'd be inquiring about. The things I make take a bit of time, so I don't ship hundreds of packages per month. In fact, I don't receive hundreds per month either Every package is packed either by me or by someone who has been shown MY way BY me. Shipped priority mail teh vast majority of the time, so already insured up to $50 just for using priority. And I add insurance for those packages valued above that amount. Those times I'm sending holster blanks or belt blanks (no hours of labor involved) I sometimes ship 1st class mail, but still tracked (thus, if I know where it didn't go, at least I would know where it DID go). The 1st class packages have not been misdirected either. Those times I send sides, or partial sides, across the country I have usually used UPS. No troubles there, either. They did destroy a package with a forklift about 20 years ago, but they paid for the full amount of the goods AND returned it to me, so... nothing to complain about there. So, insurance is added to a package BY ME. Then IF something were to happen, I can just send the customer a replacement, file the claim for the 1st package, and everybody's happy. Post office gets paid a second time, I get paid a second time, customer gets what they asked for .... simple. The exception, of course, is those packages with low-value items. Sane people would generally not put $3 shipping and $3 insurance on a $3 item. Keep in mind, though ... that those $3 items are available in a bazzillion places on any day of the week -- so I just son't shop with the one who says I may or may not get what I'm paying for.

Knives, cutters, videos, books.... uhh.. just a thought here -- some of your money will need to go toward leather. Hey, don't laugh -- I've seen a number of people so determined to buy tools they spent all their money and had no leather to use the tools on! I've got some stuff around here I wouldn't mind givin' a youngster who was interested.. just send a message if you want it.

The "bunching' brings up a good point. I've tried a bazillion ways to make belts. I've done them straight and curved. I've done them smooth and tooled. I've done them single layer and laminated. I've done them flat, I've done them in a hat Take that 2-layer belt for example. Glue it flat on a table. When you wrap it around the waist, the inside layer "bunches" to some extent (and while less obvious, the outer layer stretches). This causes visible issues on the inside of the belt. Which, as long as they aren't extreme, aren't a big issue. Now, make the same belt, but glue it on a curve similar to the curve of someone's waist. Since the pieces were glued on this curve, there's no visible marring. Not to be confused, though --- the inside is still compressing and the outside is still tensing, they just aren't as obvious because the (2) outer bends are allowed to stretch more to "come around" rather than compressing the inner surface. Either will work. The "problem" then, is that the pieces will try to return to the position they were joined. On the belt which was glued flat, it will attempt to return to flat (much like a flat steel spring tries to go back to flat when bent, and why you can "snap" a comb) which does little damage to anything. This "spring" will relax over time. On the belt formed on a curve, it will try to return to that curve. So when wrapped around the waist, the inside layer which was already compressed someone suffers little effect. But when straightened (trust me, the nicer the belt looks, the more people will want to hold it out flat to "look at it") you are now stretching the inside surface beyond where it started, and you are compressing fibers which were already stretched, very possibly creating wrinkles/cracks in the OUTER layer, or at least in teh finish applied to the outer layer, which is going to be visible from now on. Point is, it matters both what you are making and the way you are making it...

On the utility knife and strap cutter, me too. The only benefit I found of a head knife or round knife was being able to say I have one, which is of no value at all to me. Oh, it will help you get rid of $100 US dollars (give or take) if you have too many of those your way But a $5 utility knife and a straight edge makes a nice line on one side of a leather hide, and a strap cutter (little hand held model) makes straps pretty quickly. I am, however, the dissenting opinion on why-tube (which is named because WHY would someone spend hours and hours of their life weeding through crap ...). Which is not to say that there isn't ANYthing useful there.... but in all the videos I've seen and had someone recommend, I actually found use in about 3 of them (and one of those was cute girls in a country music video ). If the aim is to make a bit of money and kill a little time, that can be done easy enough. If she'd like to go past that "bop it and slop it" routine, then you'll want to learn to recognize good leather, and how to gauge the moisture content of it for proper leather working (which I imagine can be taught by video, but I don't know that it has been). You'll get people on about letting the leather dry until "cool to the touch" (because they heard someone say that before)... but completely dry leather will be "cool to the touch" in a room which is 68°F., and thus means nothing really. By the way, sewing leather isn't completely different from sewing fabric. I'm no sewing expert by any stretch, but have done both. The machines tend to be heavier and more rugged, it's true, but the idea is the same. So I would actually offer TWO pieces of advice: Ask questions, but weigh the answers

It's going to depend on what you're calling "molding",and where the shaping would be. And when I hear molding, I assume we're talking about vegetable tanned leather (just to be clear). So, if I'm shaping an object and relying on it to hold it's shape without wet forming, then I'd line it after forming. Examples include a handbag, where I want a flap to remain closed when teh clasp is opened. I would glue the layers "on a curve", so that it naturally wants to return to that closed position. Or a gusset on a case -- I form turns and corners before lining them.. since I don't want 'puckers' and 'boogers' in the corners, especially if there are zippers involved. In this case, I likely don't even wet the leather to form the bend. On the other hand, if I'm wet forming, I assume it's likely because 1) it's a fairly complex shape which all layers have to fit, or 2) it's a spot where I'm not going to be able to put in a lining once it's formed.

Because the shipper is acting as your agent. Though not an "employee" by legal definition, they are - though temporarily - working for you. When a contractor uses a subcontractor (who is by legal definition not an "employee", and that subcontractor causes damage (destruction, delay, whatever) does anybody believe that the original contractor isn't responsible? Of course he is. Now, he may seek reimbursement for his damages from the subcontractor he hired (just like I would from teh post office), but the person getting teh work done is coming after the contractor they hired, not anybody who he paid to help get the job done. If anyone really believes that this is reasonable, try mailing the mortgage payment. If for some reason the bank doesn't get it, just tell the bank that's too bad... I mailed it, it's out of my hands, so too bad / so sad for you. Good luck with that. For me personally, I was willing to pay for shipping (even though I knew that was more than twice what the shipping should cost). But I dont' want to hear somebody ask me to insure a package twice (priority insurance, plus some other "insurance"). And I certainly aint gonna listen to somebody tell me that I may or may not get my order .... I just clicked on out, and that stuff can sit in that shopping cart forever. Well, probably just till a while after I've moved and the email address is no longer valid and starts bouncing emails back to them ... OH>. from teh other side of the coin, as a seller, if it happened once (it has, just not this year) I would just "take the hit". If it happened with any regularity, I would assume I need to find and use a different method of shipment.

Yeah, I been snoopin'. Price for those things is all over the map -- I saw the same clip on a dozen sites from 75¢ each to $6.00 each! That little S/W, she wants to be able to use it without a belt, so I could go with a clip (if there's one that will fit) or even a paddle (which would be easier to arrange). Opened my mouth and said i'd do it, so I'll do it - one way or another

Each person / business / supplier does things their own way For me personally, if I pay for something but I don't receive it, they'll hear from me. If that doesn't work, they'll hear from VISA. If in the end they wish to involve lawyers, I'm okay with that too I suppose... just seems easier to order from someone NOT intent on telling me that my hard-earned money just went into a crap shoot and I may or may not get what I paid for. I mean, if there's "nothing wrong with it", then why do you never see it stated that way? What they mean is you send me money, hoping to get this here thingie, but that may or may not actually happen. So why do NONE of them say that? I've done pretty well with the post office.. only one misplaced package in the last 10 years, and two total in over 20 years. One package they found and got it back on the right path. The other was destroyed, and they paid me for it in full. So, no complaints there. But if a package I sent goes missing, or damaged, I don't see where it's the buyers "problem". Shipping insurance is for the benefit of the SELLER, actually. I haven't read the civil code for every state -- and I don't intend to --- but I think you'll find something to the effect of a contract not being enforceable if it contains clauses which are not otherwise legal (this is why you see paragraphs included about "severability"). Someone cannot legally "agree" that they understand they may get nothing. if I order something, I will get either my money or my purchase. But that's just me. Thanks Madmaxx... new place for me... searching for different styles of clips.

Yep, simple. And I've asked about this in more than one place -- the response is they shouldn't have to pay for it. I know most places add teh cost into either the shipping or the item price, and that is fine -- I expect to pay shipping charges. But don't ask me to pay shipping charges, then tell me 'not our problem' if you don't get it. I think there actually ARE merchants ignorant uneducated enough to think that they can actually get by with this (and they can, if you let them). Most, though, I think are hoping you won't know your rights. So, this topic not about bashing any one (or more) supplier, so much as about informing the buyer. USE your card, and the protections built into it. Good for you and your order, and good for all of us in the long run. Strange enough, in this instance, the shipping was about $7.50, which I know is sufficient amount to send that small order priority mail, which would automatically be insured up to $50 (actually, mine are insured up to $100) just for using priority mail (no added charge).

Yet another one down in flames. Thought I'd order some hardware - holster clips, paddles, screws -- so I signed up for yet another site (knife kits) only to get a message at checkout that they won't be responsible for lost packages. This, apparently, has become the new norm. I know I could call my credit card company and basically"break it off in 'em" over paying for something and not receiving it. My card company would charge back, and I'm guessing repeated instances would result in fraud charges. Still, I'm just not doing business with people who do things that way -- just don't need the headaches. One more place down...

Just a bit of FYI.. in the process of searching for other styles of clips, I find the best price on these (short of buying in some bulk) is at http://www.holstersmith.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=547

I LIKE it. I tool quite a bit, and often fairly intricate. But this has that "hammered copper" look.. almost like engraving... that really "works" here! Oh, and I should add I like that stitchin' too..

That looks awfully loose. Maybe if we could see it with the gun IN it? I like to see a holster FIT a gun, like ... no room to flex and "smoosh". No wrinkles, front OR back. "extra space" between the gun and the stitch line won't take long to become a wet noodle. Just gonna tell that gal her holster can't be done with hardware currently available to me. Maybe make her one with TWO clips.. ahead of and behind the pistol.

Tha's a good deal.. the delivery is likely worth that A chunk for tooling .. about an inch thick is enough IF you have a solid table under it (no flex). 2" thick is more common, probably, and works great. 4" thick is NOT necessary, but then it won't hurt anything either.. and at that price I'd likely pick it up "just in case". I like a wider slab because belts lay nicer on one at least 2' long, but that isn't "necessary" either.

So what keeps the leather from pushing down when this "form' is removed? WHAT web site?

Offset is "about" 3 oz

That IS the correct model. But that buton isn't recessed, it's raised. Here's a holster I made for it in another style, at another time (note the 'bump'). But, my big sister is in town, so I'm off to do lunch ...